Road Sector Funding in 2026 Covers Only Part of the Needs. Large-Scale Works Are Limited

According to estimates by the State Agency for Restoration and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine, up to UAH 90 billion per year is required to finance comprehensive scheduled repairs and maintenance of public roads.

At the same time, according to the Head of the Agency, Serhii Sukhomlyn, only 10–15% of the required funding has been allocated for road maintenance in 2026. Under such circumstances, large-scale works are being postponed indefinitely.

This year, only UAH 12.5 billion has been allocated in the State Budget for these expenditures, Serhii Sukhomlyn reported. However, this amount also covers a number of other spending items. As a result, no more than UAH 10 billion will actually be directed to roads, including winter maintenance.

Road funding has been significantly limited for several consecutive years, the Agency Head emphasized. 2023 was the last year when the Road Fund was still operational. The Fund was financed through excise taxes paid by drivers when purchasing fuel and amounted to UAH 46 billion annually. These funds were used for scheduled and emergency road repairs and maintenance.

Due to a challenging winter season, a significant number of highways constructed several years ago sustained considerable damage, including certain sections of the Kyiv–Odesa and Kyiv–Chop highways.

At the same time, according to Serhii Sukhomlyn, 80 roads that were built several years ago and have also suffered substantial damage “are subject to warranty repairs, which will not require state budget expenditures given the obligations of the contractors who constructed them.”

According to the Agency Head, nearly 20 contractors have already received notices and formal demands to restore the sections covered by their warranty obligations.

Based on materials from the Center for Transport Strategies (CTS), an independent information and consulting center focused on research of transport and infrastructure projects, as well as analysis and forecasting of transport sector development.

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